


human

by katsukisaggypants



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Braces, Fluff, Hair Braiding, Haircuts, Hugs, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, Pining, Requited Love, Third Year Tsukishima Kei, Third Year Yamaguchi Tadashi, Tsukishima Kei is Bad at Feelings, but kei is an idiot, kuroken if u squint, still dont know how to tag, yamaguchi loves kei
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-12 15:28:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29761719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katsukisaggypants/pseuds/katsukisaggypants
Summary: okay so, i might take a little longer to update these chapters because i want them to be a little longer, but i promise they’ll get done under two weeks!! <3
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	human

**Author's Note:**

> okay so, i might take a little longer to update these chapters because i want them to be a little longer, but i promise they’ll get done under two weeks!! <3

“Yamaguchi, you look stupid.” 

“Do not! I need to make sure my teeth are clean enough for the orthodontist, I don’t need them gossiping about me when I leave.” 

Kei rolled his eyes and stood up from his place on the ledge of the bathtub, “I don’t think they’ll care enough to gossip about you.”

”That’s rich, y’know sometimes I forget you’re in college prep classes.” Yamaguchi quipped, opening his mouth wide to look at his molars in the mirror.

”And sometimes I forget why I’m still friends with you.” 

“You can’t resist me, Tsukki.”

”It’s more like you’re a virus that just attached to me one day and never left.” Yamaguchi scoffed at that and turned to face Kei, lips chapped from prodding and pulling at his mouth.

”Am I at least a  good  virus?” 

“The worst, actually. Zero percent chance of survival.” Kei commented while pushing up his glasses.

“You can’t die when I’m at the orthodontist, wait until we get back here so I can rid myself of any evidence.”

”Should’ve known you’d be an accessory to murder in your third year of high school.” 

“Speaking of which, how embarrassing is it that I’m getting braces  now ? Like, there’s gotta be a socially acceptable time to get them and now is definitely not one of them.”

”I don’t think anyone cares.”

”You don’t care because you were blessed with perfect teeth since you were in the womb.”

”Careful, you might give me a complex.”

”I’m only building onto the one you already have.” Yamaguchi laughed before exiting the bathroom. Kei followed suit and watched as he put his belongings into a small bag.

”Hey, Tsukki?” Yamaguchi mumbled, “Do you think they’ll put me under anesthesia?”

”Not unless you’re biting and growling at them like a wild animal. Although I wouldn’t put it too far past you.”

Yamaguchi gasped and dramatically placed his hand over his heart, mocking offense, “I would  never. ”

”Yeah okay.”

”I’m serious! I don’t bite, you should know more than anyone else that I was definitely not a biter.”

”I don’t really remember my childhood all that well, must’ve been from you latching onto me and drinking half my blood.”

”Tsukki, that’s  gross. ”

Kei shrugged and followed Yamaguchi out to the front lawn, where he locked the door and walked in tandem with him to the train station.

”Why do you need me to come again?” Kei asked, sounding bored out of his mind.

”Purely for moral support, I’d do this for you, y’know.” 

“You’d probably take pictures of me in the chair and post them on the doors of the gym, I do  not want to take that risk.” 

Yamaguchi snorted and ran a hand through his hair, which had gotten a  lot  longer since first-year, “Yeah you’re right, I would.”

“Exactly. That facade you put up for our upperclassmen for the last two years isn’t going to last too long, especially with me as the detective.”

”This is not an episode of Criminal Minds, Tsukki.”

”It could be, though.”

”Nerd.”

”Shut up, Yamaguchi.”

”Sorry, Tsukki!” He cackled, not sounding apologetic whatsoever.

The train station was cold, and wet, and disgusting, but Yamaguchi still insisted that him and Kei take the train to have a “Better carbon footprint.” 

The inside of the train wasn’t horrible, although Kei did have to fold his legs into himself in order to not trip anyone who walked in. Yamaguchi always teased him about how large and gangly he’s always been, completely disregarding the fact that he’s only a few inches shorter.

“We’re almost there!” Yamaguchi whispered excitedly, lightly slapping his knees.

Kei hummed in response and looked around the train, pulling at the stitches in his jeans.

”Tsukki, we need to get you new jeans. You’ve resewed those things so many times, they’re not even  jeans  anymore.”

”They work just fine, for your information.”

”Don’t come crying to me when they accidentally rip at the butt and you flash everyone with your dinosaur underwear.” Yamaguchi said, a small smile creeping onto his face as he did so.

”Low blow.”

”I am here for one reason and one reason only,” Yamaguchi locked eye’s with Kei and brought a finger up to poke his chest, “Keeping you humble.”

”Didn’t you just feed my ‘complex’ earlier?”

”Yes. But that’s besides the point.”

Kei scoffed and stood up as the train came to a full stop, Yamaguchi tailing close behind. They walked the sidewalks to the Sendai City Orthodontics building and walked in, the bell on the door echoing around the walls as soon as it shut.

”Name?” One of the reception ladies asked from behind her computer.

”Yamaguchi Tadashi!” 

“Okay, please sit down.” She said with a smile, and Yamaguchi happily obliged.

Kei sat down next to him, pulling out his phone and scrolling through it until Yamaguchi was called back to get x-rays. He followed his friend to the back room, where he watched him nervously stand in between these massive machines to get a simple x-ray of his teeth.

”This is cool, like I’m in a sci-fi movie.” Yamaguchi commented while shuffling his feet. The dentist chuckled to himself before turning off the machine and exiting the room to grab the prints.

He came back and showed them Yamaguchi’s x-rays.

”Apparently, Tadashi, you still have a baby tooth lodged in between two of your molars, we’ll have to take that out today.” 

“Oh, um, okay.” 

The dentist motioned for them to follow him out of the room and into his office, where Yamaguchi was made aware of what procedures they’d be doing and what foods he can or can’t eat.

Kei snorted when Yamaguchi asked if he could still eat french fries, immediately wiping his wrist over his mouth to hide the amused smile that appeared on his face.

He’d also been asked to sit in the ‘operation’ room while Yamaguchi got his teeth worked on. Nothing had been too interesting, aside from his periodic clenched fists and muffled cries. That worried Kei, only a little, but he kept to himself until Yamaguchi was done.

He sat up slowly in the chair, blinking a few times before Kei assumed his vision had come back to him. 

“Okay Tadashi, you’re all done. Remember, your mouth is going to be sore for a bit so eat soft foods.”

”Okay.” He mumbled quietly, and Kei couldn’t tell whether or not he’d even opened his mouth.

Yamaguchi pulled himself out of the chair and smoothed out the hair on the back of his head, which had gotten slightly disheveled from his writhing around on the leather.

”Tsukki, I am going to die.” Yamaguchi whined with his head facing down.

”Oh how the tables have turned.” 

“Shut it!” Kei actually had to take a minute to process the fact that Yamaguchi yelled at him, but when he did he smiled softly to himself, “You’re hurting that bad?”

”Yes, my jaw is like, broken.”

”You’re still forming coherent words, I think that’s a plus.”

”Can we go get milkshakes or something?” Yamaguchi pleaded, pulling softly on the back of Kei’s shirt.

“Fine, don’t baby barf all over me if you can’t keep it down.” He shrugged Yamaguchi’s hand off and faced him so he was walking backwards.

”You’d clean up my baby barf either way.” 

”Only because I wouldn’t want to deal with you crying of embarrassment.” Kei faced forward once more, leading Yamaguchi to a certain fast-food chain that just so happened to be his favorite. Not like Kei remembered, or anything.

“Tsukki!” Yamaguchi yanked at the shoulder of his shirt, and Kei leaned down so he could whisper in his ear, “Can you order? I don’t want them seeing my braces.”

”It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Please?”

”No.” 

“I’ll buy you all the strawberry shortcake you ask for!”

”I know you won’t, but thank you for the kind and thoughtful offer.” 

Kei reached the counter and ordered for both him and Yamaguchi. Kei, of course, got a strawberry milkshake, and Yamaguchi got a vanilla milkshake and a side of - disgustingly soggy - french fries.

They exited the building and sat down in one of the outside tables. Kei noticed that Yamaguchi was struggling to suck the milkshake out of the straw, so he huffed and went back inside to grab a spoon.

Dropping it onto the table, he said “If you’d sucked on that straw any harder I’m convinced it would get lodged in your throat.”

”What would I do without you, Tsukki?”

”Probably have higher self-esteem.”

”Lies. Some might consider you my hero.” Kei’s heart jumped at that, it fluttered awkwardly around his ribs and settled itself at the bottom of his stomach.

”Why exactly?” He choked out in between sips of milkshake.

”You were my knight in shining armor! Remember? You told those kids that bullied me that they were lame.” He strained before bursting out into rambunctious laughter, earning a few annoyed stares.

”I’m still not specifying whether or not I also called  you  lame in the process.”

”It’s okay, deep down I know you’d fallen madly in love with me and had to fight to keep it from messing with your head.” Kei choked on his milkshake, small drops of light pink spurted out of his mouth and nose. 

“Shit, I’ll go get you a napkin.” Yamaguchi stood up and ran inside the building, running out with a handful of napkins. He hit Kei lightly across the face with the stack before he slipped one out and gently wiped his nose.

Kei pulled the napkin out of his grasp and wiped his face himself, hoping to god that Yamaguchi didn’t notice how fast his face heated up. 

“You just baby barfed! Look at me being a good friend and cleaning you up. Little baby.” Yamaguchi joked, wincing as his spoon accidentally clacked against his teeth.

”Finish your damn milkshake, I’m leaving in five minutes if you don’t.” Kei muttered, pulling at his fingernails under the table.

”Pushy-shima.”

”I think I hate that more than ‘Tsukki’.” He said while mimicking Yamaguchi’s voice.

”What? Would you rather me simply call you  Kei?”

”Definitely not, I’m killing you if you do.”

“Try me, I’ll kick your shins. They’d probably snap like toothpicks too!” 

“Shut up.”

”Sorry.” Yamaguchi drawled out sarcastically, taking one last bite of his milkshake and tossing it into the trash. He hadn’t touched his fries, which wasn’t an issue, Kei knew he had to have been hurting.

”Let’s walk back, today. I wanna enjoy the city.”

”That’s a long walk.”

”Oh. Yeah you’re right. Sorry, the braces removed half of my braincells.”

”So as opposed to two you have one?”

“Technically I have zero, remember when you declared that you occupied at least one of them all the time?”

”Oh yeah.” Kei recalled doing that in his second year, right after Yamaguchi had mumbled something about only having two braincells. He’d failed a test that day, so Kei didn’t want to irk him too much.

”My mouth hurts.”

”You have painkillers at home.”

”I need to kill the pain right _now._ ”

”Can’t help you there. Just wait.” Kei mumbled before fishing his phone out of his pocket, “The train ride is only twenty minutes.”

”Fine.” 

Kei shook Yamaguchi awake, the boy huffing as he was pulled upwards into a standing position.

”Come on, your house is only a few blocks away.” Kei muttered, holding Yamaguchi by his shirt.

”Okay, Tsukki! I’ve got it, jeez. I’m not the one who baby barfed all over themselves earlier.”

”If you keep bringing it up I’m gonna make you barf for real.”

”And how would you manage to do that?”

”Dunno. Stick a few fingers down your throat? The usual.” Kei’s face instantly heated up as he realized what those words _could_ mean. 

Yamaguchi audibly gasped, and chuckled airily, “I didn’t know you were into that kinda thing!”

”I have no recollection of what you’re talking about.”

”Sure.”

Yamaguchi unlocked the door to his parent’s house and Kei followed him in. He watched as Yamaguchi flopped onto the couch and groaned in pain. 

“Tsukki, can you get the painkillers out of the cabinet?” He whined, covering his eyes with his forearm.

”Yeah, sure.” Kei sucked in a breath as he opened the cabinet and fumbled through the small crate that held Yamaguchi’s family’s medical supplies. He pulled out a small bottle of ibuprofen and dropped three pills into his palm.

He padded to the sink and filled up a glass cup of water, walking back over to Yamaguchi and pulling him off the couch, “You’re going to get cramps if you sleep like that.”

”I am perfectly fine, Tsukki.” Yamaguchi mumbled, his top lip curling over his braces. Kei chewed at his lip and dragged Yamaguchi to his room, sitting him down on the bed.

”I’ll play a movie.”

”Okay.” Yamaguchi took the pills and sipped the water. Some of it spilled out the corner of his mouth and he wiped at it immediately. Kei couldn’t help but admire how Yamaguchi’s hair fell to frame his chin.

”What movie do you want to watch?” Kei asked, trying to be slightly considerate.

”Anything.” _Perfect._ Kei opened Yamaguchi’s laptop and opened a streaming website. He was in the middle of typing _Jurassic_ when Yamaguchi grabbed one of his hands and mumbled, “Not Jurassic Park.”

Kei rolled his eyes and allowed Yamaguchi to type in the name of the movie he wanted, choosing not to care about the fact that he told him to pick anything, but whatever.

Kei  watched, nearly in horror, as Yamaguchi typed _Sinister_ into the search bar and pressed enter. He clicked on the first suggestion, an eerie and uncomfortable melody sounding through the speakers.

”You hate scary movies.” Kei said accusingly, scooting back on the bed to lean against the headboard.

”You love them.” Yamaguchi smiled up at him, and Kei noticed the faint cracked skin on his lips as he did so.

”Not when you cry the whole time.” 

“I promise I won’t cry. Maybe I’ll even fall asleep.”

”If you snore in my ears I will leave.”

”But then I won’t have anyone else to annoy.”

”That’s kind of the point, Yamaguchi.”

Yamaguchi huffed and stared intently at the screen, Kei was almost about to mention something akin to “You’re cheeks are puffy” when Yamaguchi winced and looked away. 

The screen was now showing a very graphic depiction of someone hanging from a rope, and Kei heard Yamaguchi audibly gulp. 

“We don’t have to watch it, you do know that is an option right?”

”Of course! I just know you like this movie.”

”You’re literally in pain and _still_ focusing on the things I like? This is embarrassing.” Kei sighed, pausing the movie and turning on something much more Yamaguchi.

High School Musical.

”Oh my _god._ ” He gasped, placing his hand lightly over his mouth.

”If you fall asleep I’m turning it off.”

”I am perfectly fine with that.”

Now it was Kei’s turn to huff, already getting bored of the movie. He rubbed his eyes underneath his glasses and blankly stared at the screen until Yamaguchi’s breath came out in soft sighs and his head was slack against Kei’s shoulder.

He closed the laptop and slid off of Yamaguchi’s bed. He placed the laptop on his desk before turning back towards the bed and pulling a blanket over Yamaguchi, who scrunched his nose slightly in his sleep as if he was trying to scratch an itch.

Kei breathed in and out heavily, standing there, staring at Yamaguchi who’s eyebrows were lifted in peace. He leaned down and brushed his lips over his forehead, immediately standing up and rushing out of the room.

He pushed his glasses over the bridge of his nose, calmly walking out the front door and down the street to his house. His mother wasn’t home, so he figured she was most likely at work.

Akiteru wasn’t home either, he’s been at college since Kei’s first year and hasn’t really had time to visit. Kei didn’t - doesn’t,- care, though. He has Yamaguchi, and maybe Yachi. 

His house was cold, and he shivered upon entry. The dishwasher had run while he’d been gone, so he decided to be considerate and put them away, saving his mom from the stress of doing that herself.

The dishes were still warm and the dishwasher blew steam in his face when he opened it. It fogged up his glasses for a moment before he regained full vision and began putting the dishes into their cabinets.

He’d grown slightly since first year, what was once 6’2 is now 6’4 and a half. Yamaguchi really is right about him being gangly. Being tall did have it’s perks, though, he could reach shelves and hold things out of most people’s reach, too. He looked way more intimidating with the added height, which, paired with his smirk, looked like it could kill.

He exhaled slowly once he finished putting all of the dishes away, and walked up the stairs to his room. He ducked under the doorframe and flopped down on his bed, face first into his pillows. His phone buzzed from inside his pocket and he pulled it out to check his notifications.

** From: ** _ Yamaguchi :) _

Yamaguchi:

[dude where did u even go]  
  


Kei:

[You fell asleep.]  
  


Yamaguchi:

[that’s not a very nice way to treat ur captain, now is it?]  
  


Kei:

[Not coming back over. I have heard enough of Troy and Gabriella’s pining.]  
  


Yamaguchi:

[i keep saying we could go to karaoke and sing troy and gabbi’s duet but you always reject me]  
  


Kei:

[I know you did not just call her Gabbi.]  
  


Yamaguchi:

[and what if i did. hmmmm?]  
  


Kei:

[You act like you know her personally.]  
  


Yamaguchi:

[i wish i did. she’s so pretty]  
  


Kei:

[Please refrain from drooling about girls when you text me.]  
  


Kei huffed and turned off his phone, placing it on his bedside table. He pulled off his glasses and ran a large hand through his hair. Like Yamaguchi, it’d grown substantially since their first year, it was now long enough to brush against his nose if he fluffed it forward.

He chewed on his bottom lip and cracked his knuckles, picking up his phone again and squinting at the blurry message bubbles. Yamaguchi _had_ texted him more, probably about how gorgeous Gabriella’s actor is. He rolled his eyes and pressed on the ‘Call’ button underneath Yamaguchi’s contact photo.

”Tsukki!” He chirped, something ruffled on the other side of the line and Kei assumed it was Yamaguchi shifting in his bed.

”Yamaguchi.”

”You called me..?”

“Oh I did. Well, might as well hang up now.”

”Don’t hang up, you just got here, stay a while to hear my rendition of this English song!” He laughed, and Kei’s face heated up instantly.

”What is it?”

”Okay so Yachi was talking about it the other day—“

”What’s the name?”

”It’s called Fever! The dude that sings it is kind of gorgeous.” Kei rolled his eyes and waited in silence for Yamaguchi to begin, when he didn’t he sighed dramatically.

”Oh! You want me to start, okay.” A pause, “Shit! Ow! Fuck!” Kei wheezed and laughed hard into his pillow, his whole body shaking with loud cackles.

”What the hell,” Kei took a deep breath to regain his compsure, “What the hell happened?”

”I may have accidentally sliced my cheek.” This caused Kei to laugh even harder and clamp a hand over his mouth to hide his wheezes.

“It wasn’t _that_ funny, Tsukki.” Yamaguchi said, and Kei assumed he was pouting on the other side of the phone.

A few deep breaths later, Kei had finally composed himself and apologized for laughing.

”I’m not singing it anymore. Tsukki, I’m in so much pain. I can’t believe you left me alone to deal with it all.”

”Too bad, your brain wasn’t strong enough to stay awake.”

“It’s cause you have my last braincell.”

”I’ll give it back tomorrow. At school.”

”Oh _god._ “ Yamaguchi whined, and Kei pinched the bridge of his nose.

”What?”

”Tomorrow, at school, I can’t eat anything.”

”I’ll stick a feeding tube in you.”

”You have _such_ a way with words, Tsukki.”

Kei scoffed, “Surprised why I haven’t found a girlfriend.”

Yamaguchi laughed from the other line, “Didn’t you tell the last girl who confessed to you to fuck off?”

”Maybe. Let’s not get into that for the sake of her ego. Don’t forget that she was also only talking to you so she could get to me, so, fuck her.”

”Ew.”

”What?”

”You being nice is weird. Even the backhanded compliments.”

”I’m never doing it again, so don’t get used to it.”

The two talked for what felt like seconds, in Kei’s mind. Only to realize they’d stayed up until 1:30 AM and needed to actually be able to walk around at school, so they bid their goodbyes over the phone.

Kei’s alarm jumped him awake, that _and_ the weird dream he had. He refuses to get into it.

Changing into a white button-up and his black slacks, he combed his hair, brushed his teeth and put on deodorant before he rushed out the door and jogged to Yamaguchi’s house. 

“Hey, Yamaguchi.” He said, slightly out of breath as he caught his friend by the doorway.

”Tsukki, are you okay? You’re kinda.. breathing heavy.” Yamaguchi asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

”’M fine, let’s go to school before we’re late.” He mumbled.

Kei caught his breath halfway through the walk to school, and he allowed his shoulders to hunch. Yamaguchi walked calmly beside him, both hands attached to the leather strap of his bag.

”Thanks for coming with me yesterday.” Yamaguchi smiled, the apples of his cheeks dusted a faint pink.

”If I hadn’t you probably would have sobbed the moment they started cleaning your teeth.”

”Hm. Maybe. Anyways, when do you think I’ll be able to eat? I’m really thinking about that feeding tube thing.”

”Depends. Just starve until your teeth stop hurting.”

”Only for you, Tsukki.”

”That’s idiotic.”

”You’re the one who told me to!” Yamaguchi teased, lightly flicking Kei’s shoulder.

”And you’re the one who actually thought about it.” Kei quipped, flicking the side of Yamaguchi’s head.

“You’re just _so_ persuasive!” 

“Oh yeah?” Kei drawled, his voice lowering a _lot_ more than he expected it to. Yamaguchi made an awkward noise that sounded suspiciously like a strangled squeak before rushing into the gates of Karasuno.

Kei slipped in and followed Yamaguchi, who had coincidentally become the mediator for another one of Hinata and Kageyama’s fights.

”Guys- can you not?” 

“Well it’s _his_ fault for pulling my shirt! Now the collar is all wrinkled!”

”If you hadn’t been so annoying I wouldn’t have had to do that!”

”You didn’t _have_ to do it at all! You just did, you asshole!” Hinata barked, jabbing his index finger into Kageyama’s chest.

”Shut up you two!” Yamaguchi projected, yanking Hinata away from Kageyama, “How do you _still_ manage to fight each other when you’re practically in love?!”

Hinata paused, staring blankly at Yamaguchi, who’s shoulders hunched as he backed toward Kei. 

“Idiot.” Kei whispered into his ear. Yamaguchi chuckled, pulling him down by the shoulder to whisper back, “Let’s run before they start making out.”

”Good idea.” Kei whispered while turning and walking in the direction of his first class. Once they were well out of earshot, Yamaguchi took it upon himself to lead the conversations for the day.

”My cheek still hurts.”

”Oh my apologies, you sliced it while being an idiot.”

”I was being an idiot for _you_ but okay.” Yamaguchi rolled his eyes, a very small smile pressing across his face.

”Still counts as being an idiot.”

”I thought your complex would appreciate it.” 

“It might’ve.” Kei felt the very beginning of a smile tug at the corners of his lips as he looked down at Yamaguchi. His hair covered the back of the collar of his school uniform, and he’d pinned a few strands in the back.

Yamaguchi apparently felt Kei’s awkward staring and turned around to meet his eyes, “Ah! The clips are pink, I know, but I couldn’t find any other color.”

”It’s fine, they’re _so cute._ ” Kei teased, patting the top of Yamaguchi’s head lightly.

He gingerly slapped Kei’s hand away and laughed to himself as they walked into the classroom and sat down in their assigned desks.

Kei dropped his bag onto the floor and not-so-discreetly pulled out a pair of old headphones that Akiteru had gotten him as an ‘I’m sorry’ present when he left for college. Yes they were old, and Kei wanted nothing more than to destroy them, but they were the only things that could provide continuous classical music. 

Yes. Kei listens to classical music, sometimes the occasional jazz. It buzzes in his ears and comfortably sets in his brain. Did he mention how much he hates punk rock, and how much Yamaguchi _loves_ it? 

He slipped the headphones over his ears, something going unnoticed by his teacher because of the amount of time he’d done it. He does more than fine in class so there’s nothing wrong with using something to help him focus.

The teacher passed out papers along their desks, each one with the same printed heading along the top.

_What is the best human emotion?_

Kei slipped the left earphone off his ear and listened to what his teacher was saying.

”—pecting this to be done by the end of this year, this will count as the literary portion of your exit exam.” She said, a smile forming on her face as she did so, “I am excited to see what you’ll come up with.”

Kei sighed and twirled his pencil around in his fingers for a moment, pulling the headphone back onto his ear and staring down at the paper. What _is_ the best human emotion? Fortunately, the bell rang before he could even overthink it, and students flooded through the halls.

Yamaguchi tugged on the sleeve of Kei’s uniform jacket, “Tsukki.”

”What?”

”Can you help me tie my hair up?” He looked down and back up, reaching for the clips nestled in his hair.

”Can you not do it yourself?”

”No. Why else would I ask you? It’s not cause your hands feel good in my hair, _Jack Skellington._ ”

Yamaguchi gave him a rubber band he’d grabbed out of his pocket, which Kei took in confusion and tried to pull his hair through it.

”Ow! That hurts, you idiot!” Yamaguchi whined between a few airy laughs of discomfort.

”S-sorry.”

”Did you guys need help?” Hinata asked from the doorway, as if he’d appeared out of nowhere.

”Yeah, can you tie my hair up for me?” Yamaguchi asked, plucking the rubber band from Kei’s hand and stretching it out to Hinata.

”Oh yeah! Natsu has me do her hair all the time!” Hinata smiled while taking the hair band and standing up tall behind Yamaguchi.

He silently rolled it over his wrist, gathering Yamaguchi’s hair into a loose ponytail before looping it around twice, letting his hands fall from it slowly. The hair was kept in place, and Yamaguchi turned around in awe, “Thank you!”

”No problem, I do it sometimes too!” Hinata patted Yamaguchi’s shoulders before standing up and leaving the hallway, urging the two to do the same. 

Kei looked at Yamaguchi’s hair, all pulled back, exposing the cluster of faint freckles on the nape of his neck. 

“You should cut your hair.”

”Only if you cut yours.” 

“Fine.”

Yamaguchi’s hair lasted surprisingly long, the ponytail held up even during practice, save for a few stray strands falling to frame his face. Kei really didn’t mind it.

Although Yamaguchi struggled to pull the rubber band out of his hair after practice, a decent amount of hair pulling out of his scalp as he did.

”Ouch. Tsukki, can you brush my hair?”

”What?”

”I’m starting to think you need hearing aids. Is it because of those headphones?” Yamaguchi teased.

”No. And why would I want to brush your sweaty hair?”

”Because, it’s what friends do.”

”No, it’s what parents do. I am _not_ your legal guardian, Yamaguchi.”

”Ew! Imagine that, I’d have to ask you to go places.”

”I would rather not imagine that.”

”Yeah. Me neither,” Yamaguchi breathed, scratching at the base of his scalp, “So you still gonna brush my hair?”

”Yeah, sure, whatever.”

”Thanks!” 

Kei sighed and looked down at his friend. His friend who he most certainly didn’t have any romantic feelings for. His friend who definitely didn’t care enough to notice his lingering stares. His friend.

Yamaguchi skipped along the sidewalk, pushing Kei into his house from the back as if he was in a rush to get him in.

”I’m gonna take a shower, can you get out the paper from earlier?” Yamaguchi asked, pulling at the hem of his shirt.

”I didn’t realize this was a study session.”

”Just get our things out and then you can brush my hair,” Yamaguchi paused, “And then figure out how to do that paper.”

Kei nodded while shuffling through his bag, pulling the blank guideline out of a folder before peering into Yamaguchi’s bag, and pulling the same paper out of a folder in there.

Yamaguchi left for the bathroom, and Kei watched as he strode along the carpeted hall before disappearing from view.

_What is the best human emotion?_

The question seemed so obvious, and it felt as though it was on the tip of Kei’s tongue. He mindlessly dragged his pencil along the upper corner of his paper. Becoming painfully aware of how silent the room was, Kei immediately pulled his phone out and pressed ‘shuffle’ on the first playlist he’d made on his phone.

Soft, classical music filled his ears, and the room, and lowered his heart rate. Kei ran a hand through his hair as he blinked, waiting for his vision to refocus. 

Yamaguchi came back with a bristled brush in hand, drying his hair off with a towel. Kei fucking _choked_ when he looked down and was suddenly met with the wide, tan, expanse of Yamaguchi’s chest, _and_ the towel draped dangerously low on his hips.

”Sorry, forgot to bring comfy clothes in there.” Yamaguchi said shyly as he picked through his closet, turning around and accidentally giving Kei a nice view of the muscles on his back.

”You have freckles trailing down your spine.” Kei muttered, snapping his head back down to the papers on the floor in fear of absolutely nothing.

”Oh yeah? I didn’t know. Keep your eyes glued to that paper while I change!” 

“We’re both dudes?”

”So? Are you saying you _want_ to see my bare butt, Tsukki?”

” _God_ no, never.”

Yamaguchi laughed and instructed him to close his eyes once more before Kei finally heard the rustle of clothes.

”You can open your eyes now!” He chirped, plopping down on the floor next to Kei.

”They’re open, give me the brush.”

”Okay!” Yamaguchi handed him the brush, scooting close to Kei’s crossed legs and tilting his head back slightly.

”Tsukki, your feet are digging into my spine. Scoot ‘em over will you?” Kei uncrossed his legs and allowed Yamaguchi to sit in between them, the outsides of his thighs grazing the insides of Kei’s.

Kei brushed at sopping wet hair gently, trying his best not to pull too hard. He knew he’d hit the jackpot when Yamaguchi hummed and leaned his upper back on Kei’s chest, his damp hair soaking through the fabric of his button-up.

Kei continued brushing until Yamaguchi’s back was pressed flush against his torso, the only thing separating them being the clothes they had on. He breathed, leaning over Yamaguchi’s shoulder to look at him, “Can we do homework now?”

”Aw, I was _just_ going to fall asleep in your arms and you’d have to carry me to bed like a prince.” Yamaguchi teased while scooting off of Kei’s chest. He shuddered at the sudden loss of warmth, but enough heat came back to him to quip a sarcastic response.

”You’re _hardly_ a princess.”

”No way, I’m the peasant that the prince accidentally falls in love with!” 

“I don’t count as a prince.”

”Come on! You’re tall, blonde, handsome, cold, all of the perfect traits of a prince.” Yamaguchi sighed, hazel eyes scanning Kei’s face as if they were pulling apart his features.

“You’re wrong about one of those things.”

”Yeah, you’re not tall at _all._ ” Yamaguchi quipped, nudging Kei in the ribs. He picked up his paper, reading the single guideline over and over again before collapsing backwards onto the carpet.

“What does she expect us to do with this?” He asked, annoyed.

Kei rolled his eyes, “Obviously write a paper on what the best human emotion is.”

”But what _is_ the best human emotion.”

”I’d say anger, because, why not.”

”You’re saying that because you think it’s hilarious when people get angry.”

”Will not confirm or deny that statement.”

Kei leaned back on his shoulders, letting the hair fall off of his forehead. Yamaguchi sat up, plucking the paper out of Kei’s hand and placing both their bags beside his bedroom door.

”This is due by exam time. We have.. six months, a day not working couldn’t hurt, right?”

”I guess, but I want to be punctual and have it done within the next hour.” Kei smirked, pushing his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose.

”I’m tired, let’s sleep!” Yamaguchi said, already pulling back the covers on his bed. Kei reluctantly stood up, walking to the door, “I didn’t tell my parents.”

”Ask them then! You sleep over all the time, it’s not like I’m going to get you pregnant by kicking you in my sleep.” 

“I guess.” Kei fished his phone out of his pant pocket, sending his mother a text message about how ‘it was too late to walk home.’

”I don’t have clothes.” He realized, once he’d put his phone back into his pocket.

“I can give you sweats and a shirt. Please shower, too, you smell like garbage, Tsukki.”

”Aw thanks.”

Yamaguchi scoffed and pushed him into the hall toward the bathroom. The tile was cold against Kei’s feet, and the water may have been _really annoying_ when it echoed through the bathroom, but it was Yamaguchi’s bathroom, so by default there wasn’t much wrong with it.

He pulled the too-short shirt over his head, groaning in annoyance when it lifted awkwardly above his navel. The sweats were fine, ending just above his ankles as he walked.

Yamaguchi snorted when Kei walked back into the room, arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed, “You’re wearing a crop-top!”

”Please grow more.”

”Hm.. no!” Yamaguchi giggled as he slipped into his bed.

Kei followed him in shortly after, scooting as far away from him as he could. Yamaguchi sleepily placed an arm over Kei’s, sending an awkward shockwave of all sorts of feelings to his heart.

Kei relaxed his body when he heard the faint snoring coming out of Yamaguchi’s mouth. He scooted closer to him, peeling the warm hand off of his forearm and instead shifting onto his stomach.

Another heavy arm draped itself across Kei’s back, tightening on his ribs and pulling lightly. Kei’s pulse picked up and he felt his brain buzz, Yamaguchi’s hand was _really_ warm. 

He shifted closer, so close that their legs began touching. Kei’s stomach jerked when Yamaguchi slid toward him, warm breath blowing against his cheeks.

Kei closed his eyes and let his left hand grip onto Yamaguchi’s shoulder. Yamaguchi seemed to relax at the touch and stop his ministrations. Kei sighed, closing his eyes and shoving his face into the bed. 

Kei woke up with a strange weight resting on the top of his head. He blinked open his eyes, taking a few moments to register the blurred shape blocking his field of vision.

“Hello?” He muttered, realizing his mouth was pressed up against something soft. It rose and fell quietly, warming up Kei’s face. He ducked his head and backed away, quickly realizing that his face had been tucked into Yamaguchi’s chest.

Yamaguchi hummed, tilting his head and staring down at Kei with half-lidded eyes, “In my defense, you clung onto me first.”

”Shut up.” Kei yawned, lightly pushing Yamaguchi away from him as he got out of the bed.

”Sorry.” Yamaguchi giggled, already folding through his closet for his school uniform.

”I’ll just wear the uniform I wore yesterday.” Kei mumbled, walking into the hall towards the bathroom.

”Okay!” Yamaguchi called from his room.

Kei cupped his hands underneath the cold water coming from the tap and splashed his cheeks. Beads of water accumulated against his eyelids, soaking his eyes and forcing him to blink.

He checked underneath the counter for the extra toothbrush that Yamaguchi kept for him, and found it in a small plastic container with a few other things of his. A second set of glasses in his prescription, a pair of unused earbuds, and a small little note.

The note was the first thing Yamaguchi had put in the container, it was a bright green post-it note with ‘Just In Case!’ written on the top. Kei smiled and shoved the container back underneath the counter.

Yamaguchi came into the bathroom while Kei brushed his teeth, fishing through the drawers on the counter only to pull out two black hair clips. There was something oddly domestic about Kei and Yamaguchi getting ready in the same bathroom, and it felt good.

”Tsukki, you should learn how to do hair.”

”Why?” He asked, tilting his head back as to not drool toothpaste all over himself.

”Because I don’t think I want to have Hinata’s sweaty volleyball hands touching my hair.”

”My hands are equally as sweaty, if not worse.”

”I guess. By default they’re better though.”

”And how so?”

”Cause they’re _yours._ ”

Kei snorted, spitting the toothpaste out in the sink and running the water over the drain, “Yeah, sure.”

Yamaguchi hummed and watched as Kei left the bathroom, fixing the collar of his uniform. He cracked his knuckles and picked up both his and Yamaguchi’s bags, standing in front of the front door.

Yamaguchi skittered down the hall and pulled his bag off of Kei’s arm, opening the door and guiding the both of them out. Kei patted his pockets for his phone and shut the door behind them.

The morning air was comforting, but it gave Kei a disgusting feeling of dread as it whipped his ears. He fumbled for the headphones in his bag and pulled them out, placing them softly over his ears and pressing ‘play’ on his previous playlist.

Yamaguchi’s lips curled as he spoke, seemingly to Kei, who heard none of it. All he saw was the soft flush that Yamaguchi would get when he spoke about something he liked, or the way he’d pause for a moment to lick around his mouth for any open cuts caused by his braces.

They reached the gates seemingly in record time, although it was probably just a product of Kei losing track of time while staring at Yamaguchi. He slipped off his headphones, figuring that he’d spend time using them in class when the silence was the most gruesome.

”So, Tsukki, do you have any idea what the best human emotion is?”

”Fear.”

” _What?_ No I am literally not going to let you put that.”

”Fine. I don’t know, happiness or something.”

”I guess. Excitement is cool, too.” Yamaguchi hummed, picking at the skin of his lip.

”Excitement. Like giddiness or that weird rush of blood to your head?”

”Adrenaline rush?”

”Yeah.”

”Adrenaline rush is better.” Yamaguchi said matter-of-factly. A few strands of hair had fallen into his eyes and he blinked them away with long eyelashes.

“Maybe.” Kei said in a quiet voice, sliding his hands into the pockets of his slacks.

Yamaguchi’s hand trailed up his forearm, gripping at the crook of his elbow, “Tsukki, there’s a crowd, I don’t want to get stepped on.”

Kei released a strained sigh, “Don’t leave sweaty fingerprints on my uniform.”

Yamaguchi squeezed ever so slightly and held on until the group of people passed, and until they’d reached their first class of the day. Kei ignored the feeling of his heart pounding out of his chest and shrugged Yamaguchi’s hand off of his arm before he walked through the doorway.

“Good morning. I hope you all have had time to think about your papers.” Kei’s teacher cooed while writing something on the chalkboard, “Today we’re going to debate them.”

Kei sighed, reaching for the headphones in his backpack. Debates remained quiet and boring unless the topic was good, and he _hates_ the quiet.

”You too, Kei.” He snapped his head up to meet eyes with his teacher, who smirked and turned her attention toward the rest of the class.

”Okay.” He sighed, placing his hand atop his desk.

”Raise your hand if you already have your emotion.” A couple people raised their hands, Kei noted, “What are those emotions?”

”Happiness.” Ito Hajime, a second-year on the basketball team.

”Love.” Ayumu Haru, another second-year on the cheer team.

”And why?”

”By default, happiness should be the best emotion, it’s the staple when you discuss human emotions in the first place, it’s what can be fueled by anything.” Ito said, eyes directed toward the teacher.

”And you, Haru?”

”Because love is the most complicated emotion. It’s the hardest and the easiest thing to feel.” Her voice was soft, as if she didn’t believe herself.

”Does anyone agree?”

Several other students raised their hands, jaws slack in awe at the simple, yet layered, sentence she had just spoken. Kei stared with disdain, mindlessly tapping his fingers on the desk.

”What about you, Kei?”

He stopped drumming against his desk and stared, “What?”

”Love or happiness?”

Kei sighed, fixing his posture and sliding his glasses up the bridge of his nose, “They can exist within one another, so I don’t know why we’re wasting our time deciding which is best because they hold relatively the same value.”

His teacher hummed, looking pleased with his answer, and asked a few more annoying and open-ended questions.

“Tadashi, how about you?”

Yamaguchi jumped in his seat, glancing around the room awkwardly before taking a deep breath and settling himself, “I agree with Tsukishima.”

”Why?” 

“Well- uh- because love and happiness can coexist, but they’re not always obligated to coexist. Love can exist within hatred, and sadness too. So, technically I agree more with Ayumu, because love can retain its depth even when uh- it’s muddied by other things.”

Kei’s jaw _dropped,_ and Yamaguchi’s cheeks promptly flushed a shade of pink. The rest of the class nodded and hummed in agreement, a few classmates even patted Yamaguchi on the back.

”Good job.”

The bell ended the discussion, thank _god,_ and the class exited the room and flooded into the hallways.

”Tsukki, I am so cool _._ ” Yamaguchi said with a smile.

”I didn’t know you had half those words in your vocabulary.”

”Me neither! I just kinda winged it, guess I’m finally living up to that _badass_ nickname.”

”That was two years ago, please let me live it down.”

” _Never._ That was pure gold, I thought you were going to kill me, but still.”

Kei rolled his eyes and pulled his headphones out of his bag, wrapping them around his neck and making a bee-line for his next class. Yachi sauntered over to him and Yamaguchi with a wide smile on her face, “Guess what!”

”What?” Kei and Yamaguchi said in unison, pausing to glance at each other, then back at Yachi.

”I got an art scholarship! It’s with a university in Sendai but oh my _god_!” She cheered, pumping her fist in the air.

Yamaguchi reciprocated the excitement with a large hug and a few screams of praise. Kei patted her head and wished her good luck, and a “Don’t get stepped on,” before they walked to their next class.

Hinata and Kageyama - to nobody’s surprise - were having another homoerotic fight in the hallways. Woohoo.

”Stop it you two, you look stupid.” Kei said sternly, causing both boy’s to stare up at him.

”Daichi-shima?” Hinata snorted before attempting a horrible impression of their alumni in a deep voice, “ _Stop it Tanaka, you look stupid._ ”

”Quit trying to be the mediator, fucking giant.” Kageyama huffed, glaring at Kei.

”Oh, sorry, I had to take it upon myself to make sure you guys didn’t end up sucking each other’s faces off in this _public_ hallway.”

Both Kageyama and Hinata sputtered, shoving away from each other and sprinting off to their next class.

”Not the best way of mediating, but you did take some inspiration from me, so, I guess it’s good.” Yamaguchi giggled, holding a hand over his mouth. _Damn._ Yamaguchi was still insecure about his smile.

”They’ll realize it sooner or later, with or without my help.”

” _Our_ help. Don’t forget that I told you about them because you were too oblivious to notice.”

”I just didn’t care.”

”Mhm.” Yamaguchi drawled, reaching behind his head to fix his hair clips, “Jesus. I should cut my hair.”

”I told you to.”

”I _said_ I’d cut it if you cut yours, so, let’s make an appointment and pretend we’re a married couple on their anniversary for a discount.”

”No.”

”Worth a shot.” Yamaguchi sighed, reaching up to ruffle Kei’s hair.

”Never gonna happen, soon, you’re going to have hair reaching your butt.”

”Do _not_ put that image into my head, Tsukki.”

**Author's Note:**

> you can pry my headcanon that kei has misophonia out of my cold, dead hands. yes, i love my *talks a lot* and *listens* ships as much as the next person, but sometimes those listeners do NOT do a very good job at listening. ex. Tsukishima Kei.


End file.
